Cranberry juice for heart disease

At the conclusion of the study, it was found that the participants who drank the cranberry juice daily showed improvements in many markers or risk factors for heart disease.

by Joanne Henning Tedesco —

Cranberries and cranberry juice are back in the news again, and this time it is great news. People in the medical community are now looking at the important benefits that cranberry juice can offer.

We have all heard that cranberry juice can help treat urinary tract infections and aid in dissolving kidney stones and preventing their formation. This is due to its high acidity, which can kill off bacteria and dissolve the calcium from which stones are made.

Another significant benefit appears to be a contribution to the health of the heart, and recent research suggests that cranberries should definitely be included on the list of heart-healthy foods.

The buzz surrounding cranberries is due to a study reported in a recent Journal of Nutrition in which researchers looked at 56 obese men and women with risk factors for heart disease.

During the eight-week study, participants supplemented their diet with either a placebo beverage or a daily glass of cranberry juice, sweetened with sucralose, which contained 173mg of phenolic compounds containing known antioxidant properties.

At the conclusion of the study, it was found that the participants who drank the cranberry juice daily showed improvements in many markers or risk factors for heart disease.

The subjects who drank the juice displayed lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation throughout the body, lowered blood sugar levels and decreased insulin resistance compared with those who had consumed the placebo beverage.

Cranberry juice is also rich in nutrients. It is high in vitamin C, potassium and other important vitamins and minerals, and is a rich source of phenols and other active compounds. These anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties support and nurture the health of blood vessels and heart tissue, which, in turn, support the overall good function of the heart itself.

The study concluded that regular consumption of cranberry juice, mostly due to its phenols and other active compounds, can improve many of the markers that predict heart disease and contribute to the prevention of heart attacks.

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